1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to customer premise equipment (CPE) such as internet protocol routers and bridges, and more specifically to a method and apparatus for simplifying the configuration of several models of CPEs.
2. Related Art
Customer premise equipment (CPE) is often used by users to connect to external systems. A CPE generally refers to a communication device residing in a user""s premises and provides communication by interfacing with a compatible device usually part of a larger network. Internet protocol (IP) routers, bridges, frame relay or Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) switches, gateways are examples of CPEs.
A CPE often requires extensive configuration before being able to communicate with networks. In the case of routers, it may be necessary to configure network addresses, routing protocols, and other information. Many times, lower level (in models such as OSI and TCP/IP) protocol information such as whether ATM or Frame Relay is the available transport and the corresponding channel numbers may also need to be configured to enable an IP router to communicate with a network.
Configuration typically entails a human being issuing (usually by typing on a key-board) commands to a CPE. Each command generally has a specific syntax and one or more optional parameters. In a typical key-board based interface for configuration, the syntax generally contains alpha-numeric text in a pre-specified format. Due to the numerous commands that need to be issued to a CPE to specify all the configuration information, the configuration task is often complex even for technically adept people to configure CPEs.
The complexity of configuration poses special challenges for service providers who may take at least some responsibility for the configuration of CPEs. For example, service providers such as ILECs (incumbent local exchange carriers) and CLECs (competitive local exchange carriers) which provide high bandwidth connections over telephone lines, and providers of high bandwidth over cable (e.g., AtHome Networks) may often be required to provide installation services for CPEs at Small Office Home Office (SOHO) type environments. Installation generally includes physical tasks such as connecting the right cables, placing the CPE and cables in a desired place, and also configuration of the CPE.
The complexity of configuration is compounded as users often prefer to employ different models of CPEs available from different vendors. Each model may employ a different (and custom) syntax structure for specifying the same configuration information. As an illustration, an IP router available from Cisco Systems (www.cisco.com) may require commands of xe2x80x9cinterface eth0xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cIP address 194.193.192.191 255.255.255.0xe2x80x9d to set the IP address of lan0 interface to 194.193.192.191 (configuration parameter), while a router from Flow Point Corporation (www.flowpoint.com) may require a command of xe2x80x9ceth IP address 194.193.192.191 255.255.255.0xe2x80x9d for the same purpose. Due to the numerous models an installer may have to deal with, the configuration task is often complicated.
At least to save costs, a service provider may wish to employ people not having extensive knowledge of the configuration of CPEs for the installation task. Unfortunately, the complexity of configuration of CPEs potentially from different vendors may make the task impractical or ineffective. In addition, the service provider may wish to increase the productivity of the installers by simplifying the tasks which need to be performed by them.
At least for the above reasons, what is needed is a simplified method and apparatus which enables even relatively non-skilled people to conveniently configure CPEs. In addition, the method and apparatus may need to operate in conjunction with different models of CPEs employing different types of configuration interfaces.
The present invention simplifies the configuration of CPEs. Several models of CPEs, with each model employing a different syntax for configuration commands may be easily configured. The invention is particularly useful for service providers who may have the responsibility of configuring numerous CPEs of several different models.
In accordance with the present invention, a portable system is implemented to be able to issue configuration commands with the syntax specified for each of the models of CPE. A portable system is a data processing system which is particularly suitable for transportation from one geographical area to another. A lap-top computer or notebook computer is an example of a portable system.
A customer of the service provider may place an order to configure a CPE. Typically, the customer is an organization having an interest in providing high speed connections from user locations to a remote location of the organization. The service provider and the customer together specify the configuration parameters for completing the order. At least some of the configuration parameters are used as parameters with the configuration commands during installation.
An installer may load the configuration parameters to a portable system from the central system. The installer may then provide a physical interface between a CPE to be configured and the portable system. The installer may specify when to begin the issuance of the configuration commands. In response, the portable device may issue the configuration commands to configure the CPE.
The portable device issues the commands consistent with the syntax corresponding to the model of the CPE being configured. Typically, the CPE model is specified in the data loaded from the central system.
In an embodiment, a serial interface is implemented between the portable system and the CPE, and the commands are issued in the form of ASCII text as would be entered from a key-board in typical configurations without the operation of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention may be compatible with most CPE models which allow for configuration using key-boards.
Thus, the present invention enables multiple models of CPEs to be configured as a portable device can be implemented to issue commands to configure these models of CPEs.
The present invention enables a portable device to successfully configure several models of CPEs as the portable device is implemented to issue configuration commands with the syntax corresponding to these models of CPEs.
The present invention is particularly useful for service providers responsible for installation of numerous CPEs as the service providers may employ relatively low-skilled installers for configuring the CPEs.
The present invention enables relative low-skilled installers to configure a CPE as the installer is shielded from the details of command syntax and parameters while configuring the CPE.
The present invention enables configuration of most CPE models as most CPEs provide for a serial interface on which ASCII commands can be sent and such ASCII commands can be sent on the serial interface using a portable device in accordance with the present invention.
Further features and advantages of the invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements. The drawing in which an element first appears is indicated by the leftmost digit(s) in the corresponding reference number.